I have visited the cathedral of Cologne many, many times and I have strong emotional ties to it. However, if I look at it from a neutral point of view, I must admit that I have seen many religious buildings that are far more beautiful and that I admired much more. As previous posters have already written: It is very dark both from the outside and when you are inside, it is more impressive than beautiful, and most of the time it is far too busy and crowded. It is probably something you should have seen when you travel to this part of Germany, but you shouldn't expect too much. The sheer size of it is totally breathtaking and inside you feel so small, but being there among countless other tourists, it is hard to have a spiritual experience. However, the cathedral of Cologne is much more than just a cathedral: It is the symbol of Cologne and the favourite building and icon of the city and its people. As a popular carnival song says (in my translation): "We let the cathedral stay in Cologne because that is where it belongs - what should it do elsewhere, that wouldn't make any sense!"